"Keep the Kids Away" - A New Take

During church Sunday it clicked for me why it might have been that some of Jesus' followers weren't too keen on letting children near Jesus. I guess I'd always assumed it was just general disrespect for children. I'm not sure why it took me this long to put two and two together and see another possiblity.

Maybe the disciples wanted to keep kids away from Jesus because kids do things like disrupt quiet parts of liturgy with talking and loud noises. Maybe it was because they distract the adults with them, impairing adults' ability to engage in religious services or meaningful conversations. Maybe it was because of the way kids try parents' patience by pushing, pulling, clinging and fidgeting. Maybe it was because kids embarrass their parents by putting parental shortcomings on display for congregations of people to see. (Not that I have experience with any of this of course!)

But of course scripture says that Jesus welcomed the children. Let me sum up a lot by saying, I'M GLAD! I'm glad for me kids. I'm glad for me - I need that kind of welcome and affirmation. After my kids have been behaving poorly, my patience has worn thin, my anger flared and my frustration soared, coming forward with my kids, each of us extending our hands to receive communion is a wonderful and welcome grace.